This invention relates to a plate filter press having filter plates which are longitudinally displaceably suspended from a guide carrier.
A plate filter press of the above-outlined type is disclosed, for example, in German Pat. No. 1,109,647. In the arrangement described therein a swinging motion of the plates during their shift in the length dimension of the press has been sought to be eliminated by providing each filter plate with two guide rollers running on two parallel tracks. The two rollers are provided on the one and the other side of the plane defined by the filter plate. Since, for structural reasons, the two tracks are relatively close to one another, rocking motions of the plates about an axis connecting the points of engagements of the one and the other roller cannot be entirely prevented. In order to eliminate such rocking motions, in the known construction, the lateral edges of each plate are provided with guide lugs by means of which each plate is laterally supported by laterally arranged pull rods of the press closing device. Since in case of suspended filter plates, the plate shifting device exerts a displacing force on the individual filter plates preferably in the zone of the suspension, the known construction has the disadvantage that during the longitudinal displacement of the filter plates frictional forces are generated which oppose the displacing forces and which act on the filter plates through the lateral lugs at a significant distance from the location of engagement with the displacing members of the plate shifting device. As a result, the plate suspension is exposed to significant stresses. In plate filter presses which have no lateral pull rods, the possibility of providing the above-discussed lateral support is altogether nonexistent.